owlsbooks 57. Clues
57. Clues
Lin Mo's gaze, like the finest comb, swept over every corner of the Grand Elder's meditation room. The faint, sweet, and slightly fishy scent in the air grew clearer. He noticed that the smell wasn't evenly distributed, but rather subtle, seemingly emanating from a few specific points.
His gaze finally settled on the bronze incense burner in the corner of the quiet room. The incense burner had an ancient and simple design, and the lid was tightly closed, but the sweet and pungent smell seemed slightly stronger in the gap between the burner and the ground. If it weren't for his extraordinary senses and his deliberate focus, he would have had no chance of noticing this subtle difference.
"Elder Sun," Lin Mo pointed to the incense burner, "does the Grand Elder use this incense burner often?"
Elder Sun looked in the direction he was pointing, his brows furrowing slightly: "The Grand Elder has never liked incense, saying that external things disturb the mind. This incense burner... according to the servant boy, has been idle for a long time and is just for decoration."
"It's been sitting idle for a long time..." Lin Mo's eyes narrowed. "May I open it and take a look?"
Elder Han gestured for a disciple to step forward and carefully lift the heavy bronze incense burner lid. Inside, there was a thin layer of grayish-white incense ash, indicating that it had indeed not been used for a long time.
However, Lin Mo bent down, approached the stove opening, and gently fanned the air to smell it. Then, he extended two fingers and very carefully probed into the incense ash, gently poking at the bottom of the stove. His fingertips touched something unusual, and he paused, slowly picking out a small, dark red fragment, about the size of a fingernail, from deep within the ash, almost blended into it.
The fragment had a peculiar texture; it was neither gold nor jade, neither wood nor stone, with irregular edges, resembling the residue left after something had burned. That eerie, sweet-and-sour scent emanated from this tiny fragment, extremely faint yet unmistakably from its source.
"What is this?" Elder Feng leaned closer, looking at the inconspicuous fragment on Lin Mo's fingertip, and asked in confusion.
Elder Sun also focused his attention on sensing it, and his expression changed drastically: "This aura... is of the same origin as the poison that eroded the Grand Elder's heart meridian! Only it's extremely diluted!"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the surrounding elders turned extremely grim. The source of the poison was hidden inside the incense burner where the Grand Elder usually meditated!
"This substance wasn't burned directly, but rather embedded deep within the ashes at the bottom of the furnace using an extremely sophisticated method. Its slow, odorless aroma dissipates into the air, making it virtually undetectable," Lin Mo said in a deep voice. "The Grand Elder possesses profound cultivation and keen senses; if the poison were administered directly, he would surely detect it. However, through this method, it accumulates gradually, seeping in minute amounts and subtly eroding the meridians. By the time the toxicity reaches a certain level and suddenly erupts, it will be too late to reverse the damage. The poisoner is malicious and possesses a deep understanding of pharmacology and human nature."
"What an insidious method!" Elder Han roared, his beard and hair bristling. "Whoever could access this quiet room and place this item in the incense burner without anyone noticing must be someone who can freely enter and leave this place!"
The area shrank instantly. Those qualified to frequently enter and leave the Grand Elder's meditation room, besides a few core elders and direct disciples, were the servants responsible for daily cleaning and tidying.
Lin Mo wrapped the dark red fragment in a clean silk handkerchief and handed it to Elder Sun: "Elder Sun, you are a master of pharmacology. Please study this item carefully. You may be able to find more clues or even deduce its origin."
Elder Sun solemnly accepted it and nodded.
"Next, we need to check all the people who have entered and exited the meditation room recently." Lin Mo's gaze swept over everyone. "In particular, have any outsiders visited recently and approached this place?"
Upon hearing this, an elder in charge of the sect's daily reception affairs pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "Speaking of outsiders... three days ago, Cui Mian, the second young master of the Cui family of Qinghe, came to visit the Grand Elder on behalf of the Cui family to discuss the offering of medicinal herbs for next year. The Grand Elder received him in this quiet room at the time, for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
"The Cui family of Qinghe?" A glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes. One of the four great families! They have a long-standing business relationship with the Seven Absolutes Sect in the medicinal herb trade, so it's perfectly reasonable for the second young master of the Cui family to come and pay a visit.
"After Cui Mian left, did anyone clean the incense burner immediately?" Lin Mo pressed.
The elder in charge shook his head: "The Grand Elder dislikes incense, and the incense burner is usually cleaned only once every two weeks. It's not time for cleaning since Young Master Cui's visit."
The timing matches! Cui Mian is a prime suspect!
"The Cui family...why would they target the Grand Elder?" Elder Feng asked, puzzled. "The Cui family has cooperated with the Seven Absolutes Sect for many years without any major conflicts."
Lin Mo's mind raced. He knew a great deal about the sordid dealings of the four great families from his past life. The Cui family appeared respectable on the surface, but were ruthless in reality, capable of anything for profit. The First Elder, Xuan Chengzi, was upright and highly respected in the martial world; perhaps he had hindered the Cui family's plans in some way? Or perhaps the Cui family simply wanted to disrupt the Seven Absolutes Sect and profit from the chaos?
"Regardless of the motive, Cui Mian is the prime suspect right now," Lin Mo said decisively. "We must find him as soon as possible and find out the truth. If he really did it, the antidote might be on him, or he might know its whereabouts."
Elder Han made a decisive decision: "Immediately send people to Qinghe County to investigate Cui Mian's whereabouts! At the same time, keep the news under wraps; only say to the outside world that the Grand Elder is in seclusion, so as not to alert him!"
"That's not advisable." Lin Mo shook his head. "Since the Cui family dared to make a move, they must have a backup plan. Sending people there in a big way might mean that before they even arrive, the other side will have already gotten wind of it and either hide or destroy the evidence. This matter should be handled discreetly rather than openly."
"What does Guest Master Lin mean?"
"I'll go myself." Lin Mo's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness. "I'm new to the Seven Absolutes Sect, and my face is unfamiliar, so it won't easily arouse the Cui family's suspicion. Besides, I have some knowledge of tracking and tracing."
The elders exchanged glances. The situation was urgent, and they certainly needed someone capable, reliable, and inconspicuous to handle it. Lin Mo was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate.
"Alright! Then I'll leave it to Elder Lin!" Elder Han solemnly cupped his hands. "Just let me know how the sect can cooperate."
"I need detailed information about Cui Mian, a portrait, and his possible whereabouts. Also, please provide me with a token of the Seven Absolutes Sect. If necessary, I can mobilize local forces that are on good terms with the Seven Absolutes Sect to provide some assistance." Lin Mo did not refuse and made the request directly.
"These are all fine," Elder Han immediately gave the order.
Half an hour later, Lin Mo was ready. He changed into an ordinary blue cloth robe, carefully put away the Seven Absolutes Sect guest elder token and a silk scroll that marked the main strongholds of the Cui family and the distribution of forces friendly with the Seven Absolutes Sect, and then carefully reviewed the information about Cui Mian.
Cui Mian, twenty-three years old, is the second young master of the direct line of the Cui family of Qinghe. His cultivation level is around the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. He is arrogant, fond of luxury, and especially loves to frequent brothels. Three days ago, after leaving the Seven Absolutes Sect, according to his attendants, he returned to Qinghe County City.
However, based on the information in the data, Lin Mo judged that, given Cui Mian's style of doing things and his pace, he would definitely not travel in an orderly manner on his way back to Qinghe County. He would definitely stop and enjoy himself in several bustling towns along the way.
"Our first stop will most likely be 'Hundred Flowers City,' which is about 120 miles away from here." Lin Mo pointed to a location on the map. Hundred Flowers City is famous for its singing and dancing, teahouses and taverns. It is the most famous money-spending den within hundreds of miles, which is exactly what Cui Mian wants.
Without further delay, Lin Mo bid farewell to the elders and quietly left the Seven Absolutes Sect's mountain gate. Using his lightness skill, he transformed into a wisp of green smoke and sped towards Hundred Flowers City. He had to find Cui Mian before the Cui family noticed the Seven Absolutes Sect's movements.
One hundred and twenty li was not a long distance for Lin Mo, who was using his lightness skill to the fullest. As the sun began to set, the majestic Hundred Flowers City Wall came into view.
Upon entering the city, Lin Mo didn't rush to inquire. Instead, he found an inconspicuous inn to stay in and rest briefly. As dusk fell, Hundred Flowers City welcomed its busiest time of day. Only then did Lin Mo leave the inn and merge into the throng of people.
Instead of going to the most upscale brothels and pleasure boats, he went straight to an elegant courtyard called "Red Sleeve Pavilion" in the south of the city, based on his understanding of such playboys from his previous life. This place was extremely expensive and quite private, and was favored by some self-proclaimed refined young men from wealthy families.
Lin Mo sat down by the window on the second floor of a teahouse opposite Hongxiuzhao, ordered a pot of tea, and pretended to admire the street view, but in reality, he sharply scanned the people coming and going from Hongxiuzhao.
After waiting for about an hour, night deepened. Just as Lin Mo was considering whether to explore another location, a lavishly decorated carriage stopped in front of the Red Sleeve Pavilion. The curtain was lifted, and a young man in a brocade robe, with a slightly drunken and arrogant expression, stepped out, surrounded by two guards.
Although the night was dark, Lin Mo recognized the man at a glance—Cui Mian—thanks to his exceptional eyesight and the portrait he had memorized.
Cui Mian's steps were slightly unsteady, but he wore a smug smile. He exchanged a few flirtatious words with the madam who greeted guests at the door, then, with a group of guards following him, he put his arm around a seductive woman and walked into a detached building deep inside the Red Sleeve Pavilion.
"As expected, it's here." Lin Mo put down the tea money, and his figure silently slid down the teahouse, like a ghost in the dark night, and circled around to the backyard of Hongxiuzhao.
He evaded the patrolling guards and approached the small building silently. The sounds of string and wind instruments could be faintly heard inside, mixed with the laughter of men and women. Lin Mo held his breath, his senses spreading like a tide, locking onto the strongest auras within the building—Cui Mian and his two guards.
He needed to find the right opportunity, an opportunity to bypass the guards, subdue Cui Mian alone, and not alert anyone.
A night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers and grass from the courtyard, masking the faint breathing of the lurking hunter. The hunter was in position.